The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-13
ICE-GORGE AND FLOOD.

Most Destructive Floods in the His.
tory of the Northwest.
A Bismarck (Dakota) special gives the fol
lowing particulars of the terrible foods and
ice gorges which have been widespread in
that vicinity:
The greatest food in the history of the
Northwest, and the most widespread since the
settlement of the Missouri Valley, has been
raging for several days with no sign Of abate-
ment. When the ice broke above and flowed
to Washburn q gorge was formed which
raised the river at that point over twenty
feet. This gorge lasted one day, when it broke,
and the pent-up food swept down upon
the lowlands like the breaking of a mighty
waterspout, and in less than five hours from
the time the gorge broke the river for many
miles below was increased in width from one
mile to over six miles. Farms and meadow
land were transformed into vast raging
rivers, and settlers were driven from their
homes, some to escape the floating ice and
many to perish.
But the breaking of the Washburn gorge
was but warning, rs another gorge formed
the next night at the head of Sibley Island.
This gorge still exists, as firm and immovable
as the rocks 1t consists of six miles of
ice wedged into the bed of the river
and piled above the surface from twenty to
fifty feet in height. No sooner did this gorge
form than the vast sea of water in the Mis-
souri,, which had been swollen by the melting
of the SHOWS in the Rocky Mountains and
along the banks for hundreds Of miles,
was sent back upon the land and
the country along the lowlands presented q
picture Of desolation and ruin. The waters
leaped tho banks of the river, and as in many
places the banks of the Missouri are higher
than the outlying country the water poured
upon the settlers like the falling Of cloud.
At Painted Wood, settlement eighteen
miles north of here, the settlers were not
given time to lock their doors Or don their
clothing The gorge having broken, the
flood moved upon them in an instant and one
family named Jackson, consisting of father,
mo. her and three children, were swept away
before they could escape to a small hill forty
rods away.
For days and nights settlers along the
stream have been held in tops of trees and on
hay-stacks, and the loss of life and property
cannot be estimated until the waters recede.
Photographers and artists are on the
ground for the illustrated papers of New
York and other cities; but no brush or pen
can do justice to the scene. A picture of the
food on the day of the blizzard is impossible.
Imagine avast newborn ocean, with here and
there chimney top to tell of previous habita-
rate of nine miles an hour on the
terrific current formed by the burst
ing gage; rescucrs' launches in search
of death-confronted settlers, and blizzard so
binding that the very air was impenetrable;
and aid to this horror the grief and the pain
full suspense depicted upon the countenances
of the thousands who gathered upon the shore
to await the return Of their friends. and you
will have vague comprehension Of the scene.
When the gorge was formed, blocks of ice
measuring 100 to 200 feet in length and breadth
and four feet in depth, were hurled into mid
air as though the were marbles and fell
back to wedge the lower stratum into
the river bed. The officers at Fort
Lincoln report that with the aid of
field-glasses they have seen numerous
settlers in hay stacks and on the tree tops,
and they must have perished ere this At
one place two men and woman were seen on
the top of a building waving for help, but no
help could be sent. At the home Of man
named O'Connor three persons were seen in
trees and six persons were visible on hay
stacks which were floating by the fort.
During the entire week the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company has endeavored to break
the gorge with dynamite, but the explosions
were of no more effect than tho bursting of q
bubble. The shock of the explosion shook
buildings and broke glass in this city, dis
tance Of ten miles, but failed to move
the gorge The high trestle Of the Northern
Pacific road has been seriously damaged, and
no trains have crossed the river for seven
days. thus blocking all transcontinental
freight The steamer Helena has been
chartered by the railroad and all pas
sengers are being transferred by boat.
The latest report from the upper country
is that at point about sixty miles north
more than fifty people are in trees within q
radius OF twelve miles and that
numbers have pcriShed. Unless assls-
tance can Ge sent at once all must
perish from exposure and hunger. Many
Of the unfortunateS are women and children,
and through the tiald-glass mothers can be
Scrn holding their >hivering babes TO their
breasts to protect them ilom the raw and lr.nc,
trating wind. The trlc story OF The HOOK, VIII
never be told. Many Of the isolated settlers VINO
have been swept away leave nothing To tell the
sad story, and even the houses and barns winch
might attract attention to their former aoodo
have been carried down with the flood.
1t is impossible at this time TO estimate the
damage to property or the loss of human life,
but it is known that the flood is the most
terrible i'm the history of tho country and
likely to remain at its present height for over
a week
A Bow,iel lDakota) dispatch says Jacob
McCarty. Mr. Kirkland and three others have
been drowned on the bottoms sonth OF
Legrace.